


Calico, A Single Claw, Digital Font - Iwaizumi's Soulmate Mark

by sever77



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Kenma smiling, M/M, Nekoma comes to Aoba Johsai, Not Beta Read, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Tennis, Training Camp, no sex other than a moan, the mark is an erogenous zone when touched by your soulmate but it doesn't make up much of the story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-02
Updated: 2016-05-02
Packaged: 2018-06-05 22:11:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6725494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sever77/pseuds/sever77
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>after a conversation with @doggoneit and @chromosomefarm on a society changes based on a world with soulmate marks post, I got this idea in my head and it just came out, I wrote all of this in one day, the best wordcount I've ever had</p><p>“We're living in a world with soulmate marks. Individuals like yourself can touch your mark and you'd feel some part of your soulmate with it. Emotions, mostly, but some are lucky enough to share physical strength, agility, or even good eyesight. Of course, sharing with your soulmate takes some of that essence from them temporarily. It's not all bad; your soulmate doubts themself? You can borrow that doubt for them! It gets a little trickier when science and medicine gets involved, but that's all part of the testing…”</p><p>"Iwaizumi sat down and held his hand on his mark, just past his left elbow. As planned, a wave of lethargy took over him. He'd just hold it in while he waits, help applepi get ready for school.<br/>“That's not good for you, you know.” Oikawa called out from his window on the second floor.<br/>“It's not good for them either!” he called back."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Setting the Scene

“We're living in a world with soulmate marks. Individuals like yourself can touch your mark and you'd feel some part of your soulmate with it. Emotions, mostly, but some are lucky enough to share physical strength, agility, or even good eyesight. Of course, sharing with your soulmate takes some of that essence from them temporarily. It's not all bad; your soulmate doubts themself? You can borrow that doubt for them! It gets a little trickier when science and medicine gets involved, but that's all part of the testing…”

Iwaizumi turned off the radio. He went through his routine before getting up: open eyes, make sure the mark hasn't changed, touch it to see if 'applepi' was awake, sigh or smile, and get up. Breakfast was normal, packing for school was normal, it was only when he was outside waiting for Oikawa that he felt it – the brief draining of his confidence, enough for him to hesitate in a conversation. Applepi was up.

He only started calling his soulmate applepi when the word appeared in a font that could only be described as digital on his mark. It was above the childish house part, like a title. His mark was bordered by a circle in black, white and yellow – calico, he'd found in his research. Besides the “applepi” and the childish drawing of a house, there was a single claw. He thought it was a bit scary, back when he was comparing marks for the first time with Oikawa.

Oikawa's mark was crisp, with the centrepiece being a tennis racquet. He'd already met his soulmate, the mark was why he got into tennis. Karasuno's prince of tennis, Oujiyama Hideo. They didn't get along until they showed each other their marks, at matching places on their backs, then they were willing to give it a try. They still went to rival schools, and had their competitions, but they went on dates now, and were modest celebrities in Miyagi.

Iwaizumi sat down and held his hand on his mark, just past his left elbow. As planned, a wave of lethargy took over him. He'd just hold it in while he waits, help applepi get ready for school.

“That's not good for you, you know.” Oikawa called out from his window on the second floor.

“It's not good for them either!” he called back.

He felt his confidence drain again for a moment, a light tap for his soulmate on their leg's mark. Appreciation. A non-verbal “You can stop now.”

He did. Oikawa came out his door beaming, “I'm so happy I've got Iwa-chan to wait on me.”

“Shut up.” he said affectionately.


	2. A Meeting

Iwaizumi didn't blame his soulmate for borrowing his confidence. He spent most of the Mark Studying period touching his and trying not to take a nap. Mark Studying had changed since middle school: a few classmates had already found their soulmates, so they went to club activities early to set up. Everyone who was left had the option to use the database to interpret symbols with a teacher, or learn Morse code to communicate by touching or holding their finger over the mark. Hanamaki had never been able to consistently touch his, being in the top half of his back, so he helped Iwaizumi imagine what his mark on his soulmate would be.

“It'd be green, for your eyes… or maybe black like ink, and there'd be dragons and icing and- holy cream puff hair!”

Iwaizumi sat up straight, Hanamaki's mark featured a blank face with cream puff hair and if he'd seen that feature…

“Excuse me, teacher, but I've got a shoujo emercency, and I think it's even a guy!” Hanamaki shouted as he ran out into the hallway to find his soulmate.

Their class was dismissed to watch Hanamaki and his Meeting, then go to club activities. Iwaizumi trailed along, but they were loud enough for everyone to hear.

“Hanamaki Takahiro, third year!”

“Yahaba Shigeru, second year!” said the stranger.

Iwaizumi didn't see what happened after until everyone started leaving. Hanamaki gave him a grin and double thumbs up, and Yahaba sent him a tentative wave. He nodded at them both, and noticed Yahaba's mark was on his neck.

“You know the rules, we get to rest of the day off! Kind Yahaba, we're getting coffee on me.” Hanamaki said.

Iwaizumi went to watch Oikawa practise his tennis, skipping volleyball.

News of Hanamaki's Meeting spread fast. Oikawa already knew, and had sent a congratulatory text. Iwaizumi tapped a finger on and off his mark. He got a series of taps and holds back, he should've taken those Morse code lessons. Then a three second long one, “Nevermind.” He looked up at three Tokyo teams arriving in buses – volleyball, tennis, and the fans. Oh, that training match was today. Nekoma. Cats. He looked over hopefully for his calico soulmate. He lost hope for a while, and he couldn't tell if that doubt was from his mark or himself. His soulmate seemed like an introvert, so they'd get off the bus last.

“Kozume, get off that game.”

Kozume. A lone claw. That was when he saw it: yellow and black and white.


	3. Kozume, Calico

Iwaizumi tapped his mark frantically as he approached and saw Kozume – applepi glance to his leg. He felt a rush in his heart and his brain. He raised his arm up in the sky and Oikawa caught the idea.

“Meeting! Meeting! Iwa-chan's having a Meeting!!” he called.

He could see Kozume's lips form the nickname, then Kozume saw. He stared and smiled. He waited until Iwaizumi was right next to him with a ring of people watching.

“Kozume Kenma, second year, Nekoma.”

“Iwaizumi Hajime, third year, Aoba Johsai.”

They watched each other for a while. Iwaizumi reached out a hand to shake. Kozume took it. A few people started cheering.

“Would you like to get tea, Kozume?” Iwaizumi asked.

“Kozume, you have to be back by seven, every night, and we leave at midday on Sunday, finish your business by then. I suggest Iwaizumi moves to Tokyo when he graduates.”

“Alright.” Kozume said.

Kozume walked on his left side and would occasionally reach up to gently touch the mark. When he did, it felt like what kissing Oikawa was like, back in his first year at Aoba Johsai. Kozume smiled when he noticed the reaction.

“Do me.” Kozume said.

They stopped walking and Iwaizumi cupped the back of Kozume's leg.

“A-aah.” he moaned, “Well that's a little inappropriate.”

“So that's what they don't teach you in Mark Studying.” Iwaizumi commented.

He texted Hanamaki to find the place he was at with Yahaba and join up for a double date. Kozume ended up with his back against the wall, Yahaba on one side, and Iwaizumi on the other. They talked about hobbies, Yahaba looked more open than at their Meeting, and Kozume talked a fair length about gaming. Iwaizumi shared that he was more casual, only really committing to volleyball. Kozume nodded, and Hanamaki gave a mock toast.

They finished up with an hour to spare, so he showed Kozume to his house, introduced him to his parents as his soulmate, and took him to his room to compare games. Kozume had other ideas; he rubbed his thumb over Iwaizumi's muscles and traced a path to his mark, Iwaizumi touched it too, borrowing lethargy so he didn't react.

“Not fair.” Kozume complained as he touched his own.

“We're still underage, Calico.”

“Calico?”

“I noticed your hair first, and it's on my mark.” Iwaizumi said.

Kozume took the time just then, to actually look at his soulmate's mark, and put his right leg in Iwaizumi's lap so he could investigate too.

It was thick, in an oval shape. A shoe, for his athleticism, an open chest with gold shining from it, and rocks around a blue spring – Iwaizumi.

“Neat.” Kozume said, finished with his.

“Neat.” echoed Iwaizumi.


	4. Taking Things Slower

Iwaizumi walked to school the next morning. Nekoma was sleeping on-campus, and that meant Kozume too. Plus, they were both technically in the volleyball clubs of their respective schools and had training matches all day. When he got halfway down the street, Oikawa yelled out from behind him. He forgot Oikawa still had tennis training matches. Oikawa tried to make conversation on the way, but he only had Kozume on his mind.

“Did you kiss him?” Oikawa asked.

“Not the normal way, he… touched my mark, and I touched his, but only for a second!”

“It's pretty intense, isn't it?”

“I made him moan, and we weren't even on our first date.”

“Kiss him the normal way before he leaves for Tokyo.” Oikawa suggested.

They got there in time for Nekoma's stretching, Oikawa left with a wave. Hanamaki was back, and it looked like he invited Yahaba to the volleyball club. They spent a lot of the time smiling. Iwaizumi found Kozume in a corner and decided to do his stretches and running with him.

In the games they played, Nekoma had a tough defence – Aoba Johsai only got one service ace, at the hands of a fired-up Hanamaki. Kozume turned out to be the center of Nekoma's strategy. Kozume looked just as surprised to see that he was the ace. Kozume made so many different plays: tricking their blockers, a combination attack that ended up as a dump, setting to their tall middle blocker when no-one expected it.

“You're so powerful, Calico.” he muttered under his breath when he stepped up to the net. He got a grin in reply.

Their number one smirked. Kuroo, Kozume had said. They were best friends, like he was with Oikawa. Aoba Johsai lost overall, and at lunch they met with the tennis clubs. Oikawa said he won the most, Oujiyama sat down beside him then and started playing with his hair, pretending to not be interested.

“Why's Karasuno here?” Kuroo asked.

“We're soulmates.” said Oikawa.

Kuroo nodded, acknowledging the point. Kozume excused himself and led Iwaizumi to the tree outside.

“Kuroo wants me to kiss you.” Kozume stated.

“Do you?”

“I want to try it.”

“Same.” Iwaizumi said, leaning in.

It was the same as kissing Oikawa, except Kenma wasn't so passive. Breaking apart, he realised it wasn't as special as a mark. Still, Kozume was smiling, so maybe it was special to him.

“Oi, Kenma, Yaku says we need a setter in gym two!”

It was the tall middle blocker from Nekoma. He started stretching while he waited. Iwaizumi watched Kozume get up and bend back down for a chaste farewell kiss.


	5. Texting on the ride back

Aoba Johsai won six more games that afternoon, and Kozume spent a few hours with Iwaizumi on the sidelines. They exchanged phone numbers, skype names, facebook friend requests, and emails. The night was spent texting each other until one of Kozume's friends told him to turn the light off.

Then it was sunday, their last half-day together for the trip. Iwaizumi got a picture of him for his phone, and Kozume did the same for his, Oikawa took one with them together and sent it to their emails. He helped them warm up with Oujiyama in a two-on-two, which Kozume won so much of on his own.

“He's scary.” Oikawa said in a whisper.

“But we'd win in tennis!” said Oujiyama.

They high-fived.

The coaches had been discussing strategy at night. The two volleyball teams had to sit in on a joint theory session to learn plays before putting them into practice.

“Kozume knows when to do a dump shot, that's something your setter could try.”

“Or your team could try their hand at an actual serve.”

Kozume bumped his shoulder, he bumped back.

“Right, Yahaba, try setting for the first string.” Matsukawa called over the bickering coaches.

“Yes, captain.”

“Kenma, give him advice after every point.” Kuroo said.

“Okay.”

After the first set, they switched setters again, and Yahaba agreed that he'd learnt a lot.

They ended up with free time again. Iwaizumi spent it by the tree like before. Kozume joined him after a time. They practised kissing some more, and tried touching each other's marks again. They stopped when Kuroo came to get him on the bus.

Kozume sent the first text; a picture of his bus asleep. Iwaizumi sent one back of Oikawa and Oujiyama still playing tennis.

A drooling Kuroo.

A Hanamki in the distance kissing Yahaba.

KozKen: “Omg”

IwaHaj “I know.”

KozKen: “This could be us but you playin”

IwaHaj: “:)”

IwaHaj: “:D”

IwaHaj:”Look, he's smiling.”

When Kozume got tired, he started texting emotes. Then he sent a simple word.

KozKen: “Sleep..”

Iwaizumi stayed at his computer the rest of the day, after Oikawa went off to a photoshoot. He had all the windows open; skype, facebook, email. He played something Kozume recommended while he waited. Then there was another text.

KozKen: “Driver says 1 hour left, just woke up, and Lev's the only other guy awake.”

KozKen: “Hbu”

They talked some more over text, then a little through Nekoma's debriefing until Iwaizumi got hungry. Then some on skype while Kozume's parents made him a meal, then some more after Kozume had a shower. They stayed up until 2am when they ran out of things to talk about. Then Kozume felt all his tiredness catch up to him and said they should go to sleep.

Out of habit, Iwaizumi touched his mark to make it easier for him to fall asleep. He got a text from Kenma saying that he wasn't helping. Iwaizumi apologised.


	6. Epilogue - Tokyo

They spent a good few months only really talking through the internet, Kozume didn't get to visit, and Iwaizumi didn't go to nationals, so they didn't meet up until after graduation.

Iwaizumi said goodbye to Oikawa, Oujiyama, Hanamaki and Matsukawa when he left on the train station. He'd make new friends at a university in Tokyo, and play volleyball there with some of the top aces in all of Japan. Kozume would set for him, and they'd be a fearsome duo. They texted again as he was on the trains. Kozume's parents welcomed him at the station in Tokyo, along with an eager Kozume.

Their house was big enough, and he got to sleep in Kozume's room. Plus he got to see Kozume's game setup. The only downside about living with Kozume's parents was that he'd have to learn to call him something else. He settled on Calico for most days.

His university's campus was huge, and they had so many clubs. The volleyball club had a few of Nekoma's past third years, and a few guys he recognised from Miyagi prefectural tournaments.

His favourite thing after the first week was coming home after Calico and hanging out together; sometimes kissing, sometimes gaming, always happy.


End file.
